The kinds of people that practical nurses (PN) work with are as varied as the locations they’re employed in. A successful PN is prepared to meet and interact with just about anyone, but a few demographics tend to need more nursing care than others. From Prism Career Institute, here’s a brief guide to the types of people you’re most likely to meet in your career so you can prepare for day-to-day PN interactions.
Seniors in Communities and Homes
You may have heard before that the institutions with the highest demand for nurses are nursing facilities. Assisted living, memory care, and other supportive communities employ a large amount of nursing staff to ensure their residents receive the care they need. They often hire for multiple shifts in case a medical emergency happens overnight.
Working with seniors requires strong communication skills, patience, and respect for the patients. Although this healthcare sector can be demanding, it’s also highly rewarding. Nurses can enjoy the wealth of experience and insight that many seniors have to offer – and hear plenty of entertaining stories, too!
Mental Health and Addiction Patients
In addition to nursing homes, many PNs work at inpatient clinics. These kinds of clinics serve all kinds of patients, from people recovering from surgery to those with chronic health problems. Many clinics, however, exist to support clients seeking treatment for mental health or addictions. These kinds of patients require a lot of empathy and respect, as well as an understanding of the negative, pervasive views of addicts and mental health patients. By treating them kindly and respectfully, you’ll earn trust much more easily.
Students and Children
If you’re not looking for work with seniors or inpatients, perhaps you should consider a nursing job working with children. PNs everywhere find employment at schools, pediatric hospitals, child services, and elsewhere. At places like these, you’ll spend your days working with kids and students by:
- Addressing minor school emergencies
- Tending to patients
- Making sure kids are safe in their home environment
Pediatric PN is a great job for people who are passionate about children. It requires compassion, patience, and a sense of fun that will keep kids engaged. If you have these or similar qualities, you might be well-suited to work as a PN with children.
Families of Patients
Of course, PNs don’t only work with patients. They also spend a large amount of time interacting with families. This might be a brief interaction while you guide the family to a patient’s room or greet someone to pick up their hospitalized loved one. Sometimes, though, it’s a bit more intensive. PNs often play an active role in educating, encouraging, and informing the family members of their patients.
No matter where you’re working – whether it’s at a school, nursing home, or inpatient ward – you can expect to work with patients’ families. You must develop good communication skills and the ability to empathize with stressed loved ones of sick, injured, or aging parents. If you can do that, you can succeed in any nursing career.
Become a PN Now
As a PN, you’ll find yourself interacting with many different kinds of people. Luckily, the right training can help you develop the people skills you’ll need for PN interactions. Start your journey today with Prism Career Institute’s practical nursing program, which is held at all of our campuses in West Atlantic City and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, as well as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. To learn more, contact us today.